Spokane

Spokane is a city in the state of Washington, in the northwestern United States. It is the seat of Spokane County. It is located on the Spokane River west of the Rocky Mountain foothills in eastern Washington, south of the Canadian border, approximately 20mi from the Washington–Idaho border, and east of Seattle along Interstate 90. The city and wider Inland Northwest region is served by Spokane International Airport, 5mi west of downtown Spokane. According to the 2010 Census, Spokane had a population of 208,916, making it the second largest city in Washington and the 102nd largest city in the United States.The first humans to live in the area, the Spokane people, arrived between 13,000 and 8,000 years ago, living off plentiful game. Known as the birthplace of Father's Day, Spokane is officially nicknamed the "Lilac City". David Thompson explored the area with the westward expansion and establishment of the North West Company's Spokane House in 1810. This trading post was the first long-term European settlement in Washington. Completion of the Northern Pacific Railway in 1881 brought settlers to the Spokane area, and that same year it was officially incorporated as a city with the name "Spokan Falls". In the late 19th century, gold and silver were discovered in the Inland Northwest. The local economy depended on mining, timber, and agriculture until the 1980s. Spokane hosted the first environmentally themed World's Fair at Expo '74.